


But a Memory

by orphan_account



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Crossover, F/M, Fili is Jack, Tauriel is Tooth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-15
Updated: 2014-03-15
Packaged: 2018-01-15 20:52:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1318807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Together, they remember who they each had lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But a Memory

A few small fairies flickered past them, but other than that, they were completely alone. The fairies were busy, hardly giving them more than a passing glance.

"So," Tauriel finally said, closing the gap between them. She moved closer to where he was sitting.

"Uh," Fili responded, looking away from her.

"Where's your staff?" She rubbed her arm. "It's kind of surprising seeing you without it."

"I don't need it any longer." He looked down to his hands. "It turns out that I never needed it."

Tauriel did not respond; soon enough, everything was silent. Fili struggled to think of something, anything at all to say to her.

"Did you like what your tooth showed you?" She grinned. "I sure did."

"You looked?" Fili stood up from where he was sitting.

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that!" Tauriel got up as well, her wings beating fast and hard. "I saw the tooth, not the memory found inside of it!" She frowned. "I'm sorry I should have worded that better. Your tooth did look nice, wonderful in fact."

"Oh," Fili responded.

"It was white as snow." Her cheeks were turning red. "I loved the way it looked."

Hesitantly, Fili sat back down. For a moment, he stayed silent. "You really do like my teeth?"

"Yes!" Tauriel cupped her hands over her mouth. "I mean, yes, your tooth looked rather nice."

Fili chuckled. "My mother always made sure that my brother and I kept my teeth clean." He closed his eyes, bringing forth an image of his mother. His memories were hazy, and he could not remember her name. Still, Fili remembered the way that she had looked after him and his brother, always making sure that they were alright. She loved them so much; that he certainly remembered. Maybe they had a father, maybe not; still, he at least knew that before he had been chosen, he had a wonderful mother and brother.

"Your mother, was she the one you saw when you looked at your tooth?"

"No." Fili shook his head, blond hair getting in his eyes; he would have to remember to braid it again later. "I'm actually starting to remember my life from before this."

"Then who did you see?" Tauriel quickly looked away from him. "If you don't find it rude of ms to ask, of course."

"No, no, it's fine." He reached out and took her hand in his own. "Really, it's fine."

"Then what did you see?"

He closed his eyes again, allowing himself to return to that icy lake. "I saw my brother."

The memory was incredibly clear; Fili could almost feel the ice below his feet.

"He reminded me of you, Tauriel."

"How?"

He opened his eyes, then looked over to her. There was a bit of red hair in front of her face; without hesitation, he wiped it to the side. "Well, for one thing, he was an archer like you."

His mother had told him and Kili stories about fairies as they grew up; Fili had just never imagined that one would have a bow.

"He was a bit reckless, but I can't really say that I was much better." He sighed. "In the end, I was the one who paid the cost for it."

"Fili, that's terrible! I'm so sorry."

"If I could relive that moment, I would always save him, no matter what. He was my brother, and I loved him." He looked to the large wooden bow beside her. "If he had seen that..." He looked away, back up to the starkly night.

"I was a bit reckless as well."

"Huh?"

Tauriel leaned in even closer to him, her shoulder bumping against his own. "My parents died when I was young, so I was raised by another. My adopted father could be a bit strict, but he was a good man. My adopted brother, Legolas, was wonderful, my best friend."

Fili bit his lip.

"I miss them so much; they were always so nice to me."

"Tauriel-"

"I got into a fight with Legolas over whether we should help some people; he said it would just get us killed." Tears quickly fell down her face, a new one always replacing the one that was lost.

"Really, Tauriel, we don't have to discuss it. It's hard." He squeezed her hand tighter.

"But those people were getting attacked by monsters, and I just couldn't let that happen; it would be wrong to just stand by and let them die. I went to save the others, and Legolas went with me."

Fili pulled her closer. She sobbed into her arm, and all he did was run a hand over her arm. She didn't seem like she would stop any time soon.

"And he was almost right, you know. He didn't die, but I did." She continued to cry, but said nothing else.

"I miss my brother too." He closed his eyes, then hugged her. "I miss my brother too."

For a moment, she remained limp in his arms, but then returned the hug.

"I'm like you, Fili." She squeezed him tighter. "I didn't know any of those people, but I would still have saved them. Even after what happened to me, even after part of Legolas's words became true, I would still have saved them."

He gently patted her. "I would have too."

She sniffled. "You would?"

"Of course," he responded. "I'm sure that Kili would have helped me. Besides, Tauriel, if I were the people who were going to be attacked then I would be glad that someone I didn't even know had come to rescue me; what you did was amazing, and probably why you became a guardian."

She pulled away from his shoulder, then looked him in the eye. "Really?"

He nodded. "Really." Then, he smiled, showing her his teeth.


End file.
